AKS Side Stories: Requests
by Tiger5913
Summary: Request 7: Renewal: Alan often visited the graves of an old friend and his son to pay his respects... ! The sister series to AKS Side Stories, with requests from the fans for short stories based on A Killer's Seduction. Various pairings. !
1. Blood

4/30/07

Disclaimer: the characters in this fic such as Kenji, Uriko, etc. don't belong to me, though if they did, oh, they sure as hell would be occupied all the time… ---evil grin---

Dedication: God, my parents, my 'brothers', Hudson for creating Bloody Roar I-IV and giving me a really good reason to write this story, and my beloved friends, especially VGuyver, Andrew Glasco, IndigoSiren, SilverLocke980, Beastman, and all of you wonderful readers!!

Special dedication to: all of the fans of my story, Bloody Roar II: A Killer's Seduction; this series of short stories is dedicated to you darling readers.

**AKS Side Stories: Requests**

**By Tiger5913**

**  
Theme: **Blood  
**Requester:** Indigo Siren**  
Pairing:** Yugo Ohgami x Alice Nonomura**  
Rating:** PG-13  
**Warning:** Blood, violence**  
Summary:** Alice loved all aspects of her nursing job, except for just one little area of discomfort…

Blood

Blood was her secret dislike.

Suffice to say, as a nurse, she had many patients who suffered from severe terminal diseases, and most of them often coughed up blood. But she had never felt the warm vitality of life gushing out and sliding through her slippery fingers in a bright red torrent. And the compassionate young woman certainly had not been burdened with the arduous task of watching her lover die right before her view, fading away in her arms. Her crimson eyes glistened with tears of melancholy as she gently cradled his head in her hands, desperately clinging to his bodily heat and comfort even though he had already left.

Deep scratches were embedded all over the front of his body – she shuddered to think of what his back looked like – and his clothes were torn in some places. A quick inspection told her that the fatal blow had been the puncture directly into the artery of his neck. Upon first sight of his form, the horrified nurse had immediately worked to stop the flow of blood, but he had already lost too much. She could only hold him comfortingly and whisper supporting words of love and devotion into his ear as he drifted in and out of consciousness. Her brave and valiant boyfriend… how deeply Alice adored him, and the two years they spent together as a couple had been so short… she had wanted to be with him much longer…

They shared a short conversation before he passed away, and the words would forever remain in her mind, regardless of what happened in the future.

After her initial bout of hysteria, the young woman had forcibly calmed herself down to speak with him for the last time, "Y-Yugo, I'm going to get help…! I-I'll bandage you up and… and you'll just need to rest…!"

The fallen warrior spared her a weak smile and hoarsely denied her illusion; "A-Ally… don't… leave me alone here… please… I know… that I'm dying…"

She couldn't lie to him, and so the distraught nurse nodded slightly in reply, and then she began to sob as she lovingly tightened her hold on the dying man.

"Alice… stop crying… I want to… see your beautiful smile… before I go…" he whispered raggedly, his eyes full of emotion even as he gave her the command.

"Y-Yugo…!" She cried shrilly in mild chastise, but she tried to smile as he wanted her to, finding the action terribly difficult as it contradicted the overwhelming grief that weighed down her heart. "Hold on, Yugo… please, hold on…"

"G-get those ZLF bastards for me… will ya…? And… and please… save my brother… Save Kenji…"

Alice nodded hurriedly, willing to promise him anything and everything if it would help him to survive the night… even though she knew full well that it was impossible, due to the severity of his injuries.

Coughing in his effort to stay awake, Yugo lifted his eyes to glance upon the radiant face of his beloved girlfriend, and he whispered his final words, "A-Alice… I love you…"

Wet drops of happiness mingling with sorrow slid down her cheeks and she parted her lips to reply, but just then, she felt the last breath leave his body, and the devastated nurse broke into a fresh found of tears and fiercely held onto him, the pair staying frozen in that position for quite some time.

Hours later, Alice was finally found by her sister and their friends, still clinging to his bloody form.

**End Request 1**

**Author's Note:** Here is the first request! I decided to upload this as a separate series from the AKS Side Stories because I didn't want the short stories to get out of order. All the themes there are pre-set and numbered, and besides, I think it's easier on you readers to differentiate the two separate series. Oh, and IndigoSiren, because this one was specifically for you, please let me know if you like this story. I don't know what you were expecting exactly, but I hope you weren't disturbed by the blood and the violent mentions. My other readers, I would love to hear all your feedback, and feel free to leave requests in the reviews of this story.

**With love for my fans,**

**Tiger5913**


	2. Distraction

5/16/07

Disclaimer: the characters in this fic such as Kenji, Uriko, etc. don't belong to me, though if they did, oh, they sure as hell would be occupied all the time… ---evil grin---

Dedication: God, my parents, my 'brothers', Hudson for creating Bloody Roar I-IV and giving me a really good reason to write this story, and my beloved friends, especially VGuyver, Andrew Glasco, IndigoSiren, SilverLocke980, Beastman, and all of you wonderful readers!!

Special dedication to: all of the fans of my story, Bloody Roar II: A Killer's Seduction; this series of short stories is dedicated to you darling readers.

**AKS Side Stories: Requests**

**By Tiger5913**

**  
Theme: **Distraction  
**Requester:** Indigo Siren**  
Pairing:** Long Shin x Jane (Shina) Gado**  
Rating:** PG-13  
**Warning:** Mild sexual implications**  
Summary:** Why did Long like to meditate so much? Jane sought to find out, but her attention kept getting diverted…

Distraction

The young warrior didn't understand why her boyfriend liked to mediate so often.

She herself had never partaken in the event, and whenever she voiced that inquiry to her raven-haired significant other, he merely responded by asking her to join him in a session, and she had always refused each time; politely, of course. But one day, she finally relented, feeling very curious about the method, and wanting to find out why he liked it to the point of engaging in the activity on a constant basis. Long appeared very pleased that she had finally consented, so the skeptical blonde tried to convince herself that it was good to try something new, pointless as she thought the activity to be. The Kenpo master told her to meet him on the back porch of their house in the afternoon of the next day, and also instructed her to wear loose-fitting, comfortable clothing.

So with just a bit of reluctance, Jane followed his advice and found herself standing outside on the porch, cloaked underneath the shade of the ceiling overhead. She crossed her arms over her chest as she patiently waited for her beau to arrive, and she cast a casual glance across the yard, faintly noticing that recently-planted buds were beginning to grow and slowly blossom. She was hardly a fan of flowers, and all delicate, dainty things alike, but she knew that Long was quite the nature lover, so she never spoke out against or protested his leisure gardening. In truth, the young woman was actually surprised that he could devote himself to such a fragile, tedious activity instead of concentrating on more constructive areas; she herself used most of her free time to improve her fighting techniques.

"Good afternoon, Jane," a familiar voice suddenly greeted her from the side.

Finally, he was here and they could start their… meditation session. "Hey yourself," the blonde returned and began to ask him something, when the words died on her tongue without warning.

Her boyfriend was shirtless.

She had no idea he meditated in that… lack of attire.

Long caught the faint stunned look on her face, and he questioned her in a gentle, considerate tone, "Have you changed your mind? I will understand if you don't wish to meditate with me."

"N-no, I'll do it," she recovered with a slightly uncharacteristic stammer, and then quickly sought a plausible excuse for her initial shock, "I was just wondering how long this thing's going to take."

"A session typically runs from thirty minutes to an hour," he informed her candidly, and then bent down to spread out two mats on the floor. "However, the length is at the whim of the participant. I imagine you'd prefer a short session?"

Jane shrugged casually and feigned indifference even as she occasionally stole a few looks at her beau out of the corner of her eye, and unbidden came the thought that he had somehow managed to conceal his well-toned form from her. _Damn, how the hell did he hide those muscles all this time?_

"Have a seat," the Kenpo master invited her as he sat upon one of the mats and crossed his legs loosely, getting into a comfortable position.

She nodded briefly and descended to the spot next to him, and with an uncertain look darting his way, she asked, "So, how do I start meditating? You're the expert."

Turning his head, Long glanced at the young woman and smiled gently at her complimenting remark. "Thank you, but I'm hardly an expert. I merely partake in this activity because I enjoy the tranquility and peace of mind that I may obtain throughout each session."

A slight grin creased her lips as she replied, "Yeah, I know." Once again, her cool blue eyes fell upon his chest, taking vivid note of his lean physique, absorbing the image of the naked features that she scarcely had the chance to view. Not that the couple didn't have their intimate, private moments, but those usually took place within a dark, secluded setting, and during those times, she focused more on her sense of touching rather than that of her sight. Now that she could see him in the day, Jane was starting to wonder if perhaps their next little affectionate encounter should ensue with plenty of light around and give her the opportunity to enjoy his bared, attractive nature to her content. Of course, she was well-aware of his comely appearance, but she deemed fawning over her boyfriend's looks to be a shallow and conceited act, and so she never outwardly expressed her admiration of his handsome features.

"Well, let us begin," the raven-haired man initiated, and then he explained the process vividly, making sure to mention just the basic steps, as to slowly ease her into the foreign new activity; he wanted to capture her interest in hopes that she would like meditation and join him in his future sessions.

Avidly following his directions, Jane closed her eyes and tried to clear her mind of all thoughts, even though that proved more difficult than she had presumed. Even as she chased away her worries, plans, and dilemmas alike, an image of her boyfriend shirtless kept persisting to the surface… she fervently wondered why he meditated half-naked. For as long as she had known him, Long was a rather modest person, even moreso than her, and so she felt surprised that he would bare any part of himself out in the open. Well, certainly their backyard wasn't exactly public by any means, but still… she mused that perhaps he felt so at peace and comfortable with his ever-valued nature that he could meditate in such a carefree state.

The blonde woman suddenly scowled at herself for making such a big deal out of something small and trivial. Did it really matter what circumstances her beau felt most comfortable in? Since he acted in this different manner out here, it was obvious that she was unable to compete with the ease that he felt in this tranquil setting. Maybe that was the reason why he meditated so often, to effectively escape from all the stress and hassles of life, both in his daily occupation and that of their zoanthrope conflicts. Jane wondered with a slight start if she was included in that unpleasant category as well… Sure, she admitted that she could be a real livewire at times, and occasionally tried his patience, but she _did_ know certain ways to help him relieve tension that he couldn't get from his peaceful, treasured nature…

The young veteran grinned with mild amorous intent. The next time Long displayed visible signs of irritation or any indication of stress, she would suggest a more… pleasurable alternative to his meditation tactic.

But first, she had to get through the current session.

Jane sighed in slight exasperation. It was going to be one long hour…

**End Request 2**

**Author's Note:** Second request finished! I'd like to personally thank Indigo Siren for giving me such interesting prompts to work with, and if she is reading this, my dear, I hope you enjoyed this story as much as the previous one. I wonder if you are going to come up with another request, hehe. Hey, it keeps me busy, so throw them at me! And to my other beloved readers, please send me your feedback, and I would love to fulfill any AKS side story requests you might have. Don't be shy! Detailed or vague, we can work something out. Okay then, until the next story, everyone!

**With love for my fans,**

**Tiger5913**


	3. Subjugation

7/26/07

Disclaimer: the characters in this fic such as Kenji, Uriko, etc. don't belong to me, though if they did, oh, they sure as hell would be occupied all the time… ---evil grin---

Dedication: God, my parents, my 'brothers', Hudson for creating Bloody Roar I-IV and giving me a really good reason to write this story, and my beloved friends, especially VGuyver, Andrew Glasco, IndigoSiren, SilverLocke980, Beastman, and all of you wonderful readers!!

Special dedication to: all of the fans of my story, Bloody Roar II: A Killer's Seduction; this series of short stories is dedicated to you darling readers.

**AKS Side Stories: Requests**

**By Tiger5913**

**  
Theme: **Subjugation  
**Requester:** TamashiiKitara123**  
Pairing:** Bakuryu/Kenji Ohgami x Uriko Ohgami**  
Rating:** PG-13  
**Warning:** Mild non-consensual**  
Summary:** With a prompt from his master, Kenji wondered what tactic he could use in order to attain compliance from his wily, aggravatingly resistant captive.

Subjugation

_What a horrible nightmare…_

The memories of the terrifying dream just would not leave her mind, no matter how hard she tried to distract herself from thinking about it. Even when the slender girl was bathing in her private time, mental images of the frightening act kept plaguing her, and she was growing frustrated with the invasion. It was just a nightmare, after all; she'd had quite a few of those since the first night of her capture, so why did this one stay with her so closely? Uriko shivered at the realistic feel of her captor's body lying atop her, his hands busying themselves with removing her clothes, and then pressing his hard, hot length against her…

_S-stop it…!_ The feline zoanthrope silently commanded herself, and released a shrill noise of irritation as she absentmindedly returned to washing her bare form. _I'm feeling afraid of nothing. Kenji won't…_

She chewed her lip upon cutting off that train of thought, and then darkly wondered if she could really trust the enigmatic ninja… From what the girl had seen of him so far, he was pretty quiet, very proud of his terrorist group, confident of his fighting skills, and clearly didn't have a sense of humor. But despite having already stayed with him in the cottage for over a week, Uriko didn't know much else about him; she had no idea what kind of traits and abilities he was hiding from her. Surely there was something he had that made her imagination go so wild and think that he would want to… to hurt her in such a horrible way…

The contemplative youth glanced over at the horizon just then and noticed the sun had slipped down into the mountains, leaving just a sliver of light lingering in the sky. Night was slowly falling, and from his routine the past week, she presumed that Kenji would be returning to the cottage soon. He had left earlier in the morning, so she thankfully hadn't seen him all day, but she was not looking forward to being in his questionable company when she had to go back to the cottage herself. With a reluctant sigh, Uriko slowly trekked out of the lake, starting to feel too chilled by the low temperature, and she made her way toward the spot where her clothes had been left.

She dressed in uneasy silence, and instead of her usual drafty apparel for sleeping, this night she decided to wear a full-length outfit, complete with a long-sleeved shirt and pajama pants. The girl just felt too perturbed by the nightmare to not take a few extra precautions, even though she normally didn't like sleeping in such heavy attire, and especially considering it was currently summer. But she would withstand the temporary discomfort for a couple of nights, or however long it took her to start feeling comfortable enough to let her guard down around Kenji. After gathering all her belongings together, Uriko slid one last wistful look toward the lake, and then she turned around to begin leisurely strolling back to the cottage.

-----

Unbeknownst to his young captive, Kenji was in a meeting with his master and a rather long one as he was thoroughly caught up and informed of the ZLF's current activities. The remaining portion of their session was focused entirely on the ninja and his assignment: his maintenance of the young girl, Uriko Nonomura. The zealous assassin confidently assured his master that the entire situation was under control, to which the estranged scientist cackled heartily in good faith. Right before he was dismissed, however, his master told him something that stuck in his mind long after he left: "Remember, my boy. For now, you own my little specimen. Don't bang her up too badly, but you can do with her as you please, uwehehe…"

_Do with her as I please, huh…?_ The young man pondered the significance of the provocative words, and unbidden came the thought of certain antics he could use to intimidate the annoying, rebellious little girl into submission.

Up to the present moment, he had threatened to harm her, actually physically subdued her on several occasions, and shot negative, condescending remarks at her whenever the opportunity presented itself. For some blasted reason he couldn't quite grasp, the girl still retained her irritatingly cheerful attitude; no matter how harshly he treated her, she would not lose her smile. Out of all the unfortunate victims Kenji had encountered before, Uriko Nonomura was the most transparent and optimistic about her predicament, and consequently, the most aggravating one he'd ever watched over. If she kept resisting him and disobeying his demands, then he might consider using more drastic measures… he could not kill her, nor maim the flimsy girl in any brutal, permanent manner, but from his past experiences, psychological tactics were very effective as well…

He smirked wryly at the thought; the young assassin had an inkling of what she might be afraid of, and although he hadn't tried that sort of physical intimidation before, he certainly had no qualms with using a new… technique. Stopping a few feet before the cottage, Kenji glanced up briefly at the darkened sky to estimate the hour, and then he quietly opened the door to slip into the vicinity. The light was off and he blinked rapidly, allowing his eyes to adjust to the bleak setting as he took a couple of steps inside before closing the door behind him. The unusual silence in the room indicated that his captive was presumably asleep, and after a quick glance toward the cot, he headed for the bathroom, intending to get ready for bed.

The cobalt-haired ninja finished his tasks and soon approached the cot, lifting a short section of the covers to descend to his usual spot next to the dozing girl. He noted with a slight sigh of exasperation that once again, like most nights, she had crumpled up the majority of the blanket on her side. Shaking his head in mild annoyance, Kenji gripped the comforter and tugged firmly; as he extracted the blanket from his reluctant bed partner, his attention was suddenly drawn over to her slender form. Rather, to the fact that she was wearing such heavy sleepwear – clothes were hardly important to him, but the young man was nevertheless very keen on detail, and he noticed her change in attire with a slightly-quirked eyebrow.

Still, he had little interest in his captive's fashion sense, and so he simply slipped underneath the blanket and closed his eyes as he anticipated sleep.

Or so he thought.

A mere ten minutes passed before the resting ninja felt movement suddenly jostling his side, and he grumbled inwardly, but made no verbal remark. Without warning, the girl began to toss and turn just then, while murmuring something quietly, and when Kenji threw a glare in her direction, he caught sight of the thin sheet of sweat on her forehead by the light through the window. A low growl rumbled deep within his throat when her thrashing worsened, and as her hands pushed away the blanket, Uriko's breathing became a bit more rapid. The observing assassin shifted his eyes in irritation at her erratic subconscious behavior, and he finally ran out of patience after she accidentally – or so he presumed – kicked him in the leg.

_The girl is a nuisance even in her sleep,_ Kenji noted in slight disdain, and with firm determination, he decided to solve the problem for her since she didn't seem to be waking up.

He quickly flipped over to sit lightly atop his dozing captive and looked down at her serene face, soon discovering by a brief glance that she had another shirt on underneath her outer one. He shook his head in exasperation as he wondered what could have possessed the girl to wear so much clothing during the summertime – she was strangely foolish tonight… Without hesitation, the lean ninja reached across to grasp the buttons of her nightshirt and unfastened the little nubs until he could pull the two flaps aside. His eyes fell to gaze upon the new sight, and it was then that he realized her undershirt was actually just a thin tank top; at least she had _some_ sensibility, he admonished silently.

When Kenji leaned down to slide his hand under the nape of her neck and lifted her slightly to slip her shirt off, the dozing girl began to stir at the contact. The article of clothing fell upon the cot and he firmly grasped her bare shoulders to set her back on the mattress, and it was at that moment she roused awake, her eyes blinking groggily before focusing on the setting. The first sight she saw was of the dark-haired ninja hovering above her, and the next thing she realized was the weight sitting on top of her chest, pinning her to the cot. A slight breeze grazed past her naked skin and she shivered while wondering how she could feel so cold when she had put on two outfits before going to sleep…

The young man had yet to notice her awareness, for he was looking at her sweatpants and inwardly wondering if he had to remove those as well in order to extract sufficient heat from her body. His fingers gripped the elastic band, and as he began to pull downward, Uriko gasped in shock at his action, but recovered enough to raise her arms and push at his chest. He was faintly startled by the sudden pressure upon his chest, but Kenji released his hold on her pants and intended to tell the girl to shed the unnecessary extra clothing, lest she toss and turn all night. But before he could utter a single word, the panicked brunette shrieked in horror, feeling as if her nightmare was coming true right in front of her eyes, and she immediately started struggling, trying to escape her terrifying predicament.

_What is she…?!_ To say the least, the dark-haired ninja was mildly bewildered by her violent reaction to such a simple task, and he was about to ask her about it, but she suddenly struck his chest in that moment, stealing his exhaled breath. Steadily growing annoyed with her overenthusiastic antics, Kenji clamped down her arms with his hands and ensnared her legs between his to stop her wild thrashing. Her frightened brown eyes widened at how easily he subdued her resistance, but Uriko still tried to struggle against his hold, although her efforts were clearly in vain due to his strength. He growled his irritation at her and jostled his young captive purposely, contemplating a way to calm her down before she aggravated him to the point of physically and drastically restraining her.

"G-get off of me…!" She hissed heatedly, her expression betraying the mixture of emotions spiraling within her panicking mind. "Wh-what are you doing…?!"

"Calm yourself-!" Kenji fired back in an impatient tone, and as he gazed directly at her, he caught a glimpse of the look in her eyes and realized what was fueling her overzealous response.

Fear.

She was afraid… of him?

A smug smile slowly curled his lips; finally, after days of engaging in pointless little spats with the annoying little girl, he had found a weakness in her that far outweighed that of his harmful threats. She feared intimacy with him… Admittedly, the young assassin himself had no experience in that area, but from what he had observed of the relationships within the ZLF members, he knew enough to attempt intimidating her. And while the opportunity of having a bed partner had been available to him quite often over the last couple of years, Kenji paid no heed to the tactless tarts that wanted to sleep with him for an easy promotion of importance. But Uriko… she apparently was completely uninterested in being with him that way, and yet he found that aspect most appealing about her: the complete, open admission of her inhibitions.

Firmly keeping the petite brunette in place, he leaned down closely next to her ear and murmured silkily, "You are trembling, my precious little kitten… I wonder why that is…?"

Words utterly escaped her mind at that moment, as she was unable to come up with a response that would not force her to reveal the dark nightmare that plagued her subconscious mind…

Hiding a smirk at her speechless state, the young ninja turned slightly to press his lips against her smooth, supple cheek, and delighted in the feel of her sudden shiver. She squirmed restlessly underneath his bodily pin, and as he felt the level of her fright heightening, he was even more inclined to provoke his anxious captive, enjoying the hold he had over her. The friction that she was causing by rubbing against him caused a faint fire to ignite deep within him, one that resembled the pleasure he felt in the throes of an active battle, although this was considerably different. Kenji was intrigued by the new sensation, and dimly he considered how far he could take the charade before he would find satisfaction in her reaction and snare her complete obedience.

He glanced her way just then, and saw that her eyes were squeezed shut; she seemed to be trying to control the fear that was quaking her body, and steal the impact of his power over her.

A wicked grin curled his lips at her adamant display of resistance, but instead of pursuing the range of his influence on her, the cobalt-haired ninja suddenly retracted from his captive without a word, and calmly lied back down. He heard her emit a shaky sigh of relief, and then the rustling of her moving across the bed, presumably all the way to the other side, where she could feel an ill-placed sense of safety. Kenji hid a triumphant smirk, his expression smug in that he now knew what would rattle her nerves the most, and perhaps she would think twice before irritating him until he retaliated against her. He was pleased with how the events of the night had played out and secretly wanted to continue, but he had let go this time simply because he planned on having future opportunities to toy with her.

There were plenty of other nights to come…

**End Request 3**

**Author's Note:** At long last, here is the third request! The reason behind the absence is because I signed up for a Pre-Calculus in the summer session, and it's basically 6 weeks of math hell. I want to apologize to TamashiiKitara123 for having to wait so long while I trudged along with this short story. Honestly, my dear, I had a difficult time deciding where to end the scene, or how far I should go, but I think this is good enough. Heh, if I had ended the story where I originally thought, I would have to push up the rating… But anyway, please give me another request if you have any new ideas; I would love to fulfill another request for you. To all of my much cherished readers, please send me your feedback and requests in reviews. I plan to work on uploading Chapter 37 of AKS next, so I guess I will see you all there!

**With love for my fans,**

**Tiger5913**


	4. Ghost

8/21/07

Disclaimer: the characters in this fic such as Kenji, Uriko, etc. don't belong to me, though if they did, oh, they sure as hell would be occupied all the time… ---evil grin---

Dedication: God, my parents, my 'brothers', Hudson for creating Bloody Roar I-IV and giving me a really good reason to write this story, and my beloved friends, especially VGuyver, Andrew Glasco, IndigoSiren, SilverLocke980, Beastman, and all of you wonderful readers!!

Special dedication to: all of the fans of my story, Bloody Roar II: A Killer's Seduction; this series of short stories is dedicated to you darling readers.

**AKS Side Stories: Requests**

**By Tiger5913**

**  
Theme: **Ghost  
**Requester:** Indigo Siren**  
Pairing:** Yugo Ohgami x Alice Nonomura**  
Rating:** PG-13  
**Warning:** Mentions of character deaths**  
Summary:** He never left her mind for a moment, not even when it was time to say good-bye.

Ghost

It was the hardest day of her life.

When the funeral was finally, finally over – because she couldn't stand seeing her little sister cry anymore – Alice felt a strange sense of relief. Her own eyes were still drying from the endless flow of tears that she had shed, and her throat was all choked up, but now she could say a private good-bye to _them_. After sending her younger sibling off to the care of their friends, the young woman slowly made her way over to the grave of her kind and generous adopted mother. Mitsuko Nonomura had taken the orphaned girl in when she was seventeen, and even supported Alice in her university years while she pursued a nursing career.

_Good-bye, Aunt Mitsuko…_ she thought silently, trying to fight the urge to start crying again. _Thank you… for everything that you've done for me… Thank you for giving me a family._

She lingered at the site for a few more minutes until out of the corner of her eye, she noticed her sister coming toward the grave, albeit hesitantly.

Uriko stopped a couple of feet away and asked softly, "U-um, Sis… c-can… can I…?"

Alice nodded and encouraged her with a faint smile, "Go ahead, Uriko… take your time."

The younger Nonomura moved closer to where her mother was resting in peace, and her sibling stepped back to give her some privacy. When Uriko opened her mouth and began to speak quietly, the nurse respectfully walked away and headed toward another grave… one that instantly made her eyes mist over. She silently read the name and felt her throat constrict painfully; even though he was gone, Alice could easily picture him in her mind, and for a brief moment, was disillusioned with a small respite. He would smile at her in his usual carefree and somewhat mischievous way, and she could almost feel his strong arms encircling her in a tight embrace…

_"__Alice__…"_ her name drifted by in a faint whisper.

Startled by the sudden ghastly sound, the young woman jerked her head to the side, but there was no one around… Feeling quite the fool, she sighed wistfully and closed her eyes, allowing the cool summer breeze to blow around her shivering form and lift the stray strands of her dark blue hair. Slowly, peace settled within her and twin lids rose to resume gazing upon the rectangular stone that was embedded into the ground. Just then, Alice caught a glimpse of a bright orange color in the distance, amongst a small group of trees, and when she turned to look, her breath was seized in a sharp gasp of shock.

_Y-Yugo…?_ She shook her head and blinked several times, expecting the illusion to disappear once she refocused and got a hold of herself.

Her ruby red eyes immediately looked in the same direction and she instantly discovered that he was still there…

Like a moth drawn to the flame, the young woman subconsciously began to move forward, her mind frozen and stunned, but her body was still responding on some level. Without even realizing how she arrived, she suddenly found herself standing before the tree where the mysterious figure had been, but he was no longer there. Her crimson irises darkened with disappointment, and Alice briefly wondered if she was going crazy, until she glanced down at the object sitting upon the grass. It was a bunch of pink and red roses that caused her to tremble outright – those were her favorite kind of flowers that Yugo had frequently given her when they were together…

_Wh-__what's going on? Who left these here…?_ She bristled at the painful reminder and turned around to glance about the quiet environment, expecting to see someone, anyone, in the nearby vicinity, but she was alone.

Puzzled, Alice reverted her attention back to the flowers, and with some hesitation, she slowly leaned down to pick up the bunch. The sweet familiar scent immediately infiltrated her senses, and the young woman released a shaky sigh as memories of her deceased boyfriend flooded her mind. The first time they had met, their five-year-long friendship, and then the day she realized with a start that she had _feelings_ for him… and her surprise when she found out he was interested in her as well. And their final instance together, when he had lain dying in her arms, whispering his last wishes that Alice was determined to carry out for his sake, however difficult the tasks.

She didn't understand what had happened to cause the strange illusion of the ghost that resembled Yugo, but the unusual occurrence had brought a big of peace to her fragile heart.

_Yugo… I'll do my best to find Kenji, and together with Mr. Gado and the others, we'll defeat the evil Zoanthrope Liberation Front…_

With that silent message uttered, Alice managed a small smile, and then while clutching the flowers snugly and protectively in her arms, she turned around to head back to her sister and their friends.

**End Request 4**

**Author's Note:** Another request completed! This side story was a little tricky to maneuver with the mention of supernatural beings, but I hope I did all right with the story. Hehe, this one is for Indigo Siren, and I really gotta tell you that I truly adore your prompts; keep sending them if you have more requests! My other readers, I'm whittling through a few requests that I got from the last batch of reviews, but I'm still taking more, so please, leave your requests in a review!

**With love for my fans,**

**Tiger5913**


	5. Future

10/10/07

Disclaimer: the characters in this fic such as Kenji, Uriko, etc. don't belong to me, though if they did, oh, they sure as hell would be occupied all the time… ---evil grin---

Dedication: God, my parents, my 'brothers', Hudson for creating Bloody Roar I-IV and giving me a really good reason to write this story, and my beloved friends, especially VGuyver, Andrew Glasco, IndigoSiren, SilverLocke980, Xardion, Leebot, Musashi Sanada, Silver Noise, TamashiiKitara123, Bakuryu 791, and all of you wonderful readers!!

Special dedication to: all of the fans of my story, Bloody Roar II: A Killer's Seduction; this series of short stories is dedicated to you darling readers.

**AKS Side Stories: Requests**

**By Tiger5913**

**  
Theme: **Future  
**Requester:** SilverLocke980**  
Pairing:** Bakuryu/Kenji Ohgami x Uriko Nonomura**  
Rating:** PG-13  
**Warning:** Mentions of character deaths, mild violence and sexuality**  
Summary:** In a world of violence, bloodshed, and carefully-executed deception, the conscientious heroes don't always win…

Future

Five years after the fall of the Resistance group, the world was a better place for zoanthrope-kind.

The current leader of the Zoanthrope Liberation Front, Bakuryu, stood before the tall window in his room and looked over the sparking, luminous city of Tokyo. A city that he considered most magnificent, for he now ran it with the united power of zoanthropes in the area. The population of humans was steadily declining with the elimination of numerous adult males and females, and although the children had been spared for the time being, they were gathered together and put under close watch. It was understood that should any of them step out of line after reaching a certain age, then they too would be punished without mercy.

The ZLF had succeeded in defeating their opposing group, the Resistance, five years ago by slaying the top core members in a systematic manner. Alan Gado had fallen in battle while protecting his daughter from a fatal blow, and his wife was discreetly poisoned by Hajime Busuzima, the leading scientist of the ZLF. The death of her father had caused Shina Gado to retaliate recklessly, and that mistake cost her life; her beau sacrificed himself to bring down Shenlong, the former leader prior to Bakuryu's ascension. Lastly, Alice Nonomura was betrayed by her younger sister, who had then risen very quickly in rank within the group, and now served the ninja prodigy as his second-in-command.

_Uriko Nonomura…_

It was common knowledge in the ZLF that Bakuryu and Uriko were exclusively _involved_, and anyone that even dared to try breaking the union would quickly lose his or her head. Six years ago, the young assassin had kidnapped the Nonomura girl and soon after, he brought her to his master at the time, Busuzima, who spent much of his time diligently brainwashing and reprogramming her. After her allegiance was ensured, she had been turned over to Bakuryu for combat training, and it was under his skilled tutelage that she discarded her former amateurish antics and became a formidable fighter. With her place secured in the ZLF, the group put their next plan into motion: start the destruction of the Resistance by systematically eliminating each core member.

Months later, they had fallen, and without a strong central pillar in charge, the Resistance resisted at first, but then gradually dissolved over a short period of time. Though triumphant, the victory had cost the ZLF their own leader, as well their top scientist, but the highest-ranked member had assumed the head position and continued to drive the group toward their goal. Zoanthrope power and influence quickly rose within Japan, and in present day, it was beginning to spread throughout the world. Bakuryu had ordered a silent infiltration to take over the media and politicians of each individual country, and the method had proven very successful thus far. There were still many continents left to conquer, but eventually, he would have all of them in his grasp.

In the present, the young man felt a ripple flow through the air, and without even turning around, he immediately recognized the presence of the newcomer. "Uriko. Get ready for bed."

"Yes, Master…" she replied mildly in compliance.

A smug, satisfied smile creased his lips at hearing her submission, and then he continued to gaze out the window into the dark night sky, admiring the view that hung over his city. He had achieved great success during the past few months and was very powerful at merely twenty-three years of age, so there was little that he could ask for and not receive. Although many zoanthropes served underneath him, the ninja only trusted a handful of them, and the one that he truly relied on and cooperated with was Uriko, his closest ally and sole confidant. Their relationship went beyond that of a platonic business level, but none of the ZLF members truly knew the extent of their bond, presuming that she was just their leader's esteemed mistress. Little did they know…

"I'm ready, Master."

At the sound of her demure voice, the cobalt-haired ninja slowly turned to glance upon his woman, his eyes gleaming with pleasure at the sight of her in a short-length, shimmering yellow chemise. Only Uriko knew his secret preference for bright colors, despite his rather bleak and brooding personality, and she had clearly donned the attire to please him. They had become lovers shortly after his succession to leadership, and just weeks ago, Bakuryu had briefly disappeared with her, and the two had gotten married in a quick and private civil ceremony. He had not done so out of any romantic affection for her, but simply to claim the young woman as his for the rest of their lives, and to secure the line and surname of his future heirs that she would bear for him.

Nevertheless, she was devoted to him, although she did have one quirk that she seemed stubbornly unwilling to discard. No matter how many times he had grimaced at the reference, the feline zoanthrope tenaciously insisted on calling him Kenji, the name that he was given many years ago, an identity that had long since faded into a mere memory. But to reward her for all the years of her faithful dedication and servitude to him, Bakuryu had decided to generously grant her the privilege, with the stipulation that she only utter his former name when the two were alone, in private. Of course, he couldn't allow other people to catch wind of his leniency toward Uriko, despite the fact that she was the second-highest ranking member of the expanding Zoanthrope Liberation Front and his wife – though that little tidbit of information had not yet been publicized.

Upon hearing the quiet rustling of the sheets, the young man left the position by the window to silently undress in the shadows, and then he slipped into bed next to his partner. He turned to face her and without hesitation, swiftly took a hold of her chin to press a hard kiss to her smooth lips, and Uriko submitted, allowing him to control the situation. Even now, he still remembered the first time he had taken her, the feel of her soft body yielding under him, the way she had trembled when he spread her legs to make her his. Prior to their marriage, they had not been intimate very frequently, for Bakuryu didn't want her to become pregnant until she had his surname, and then his children would not be bastards. But now that she was his wife, he could do as he pleased with her and not heed to consequence.

"I like the gown," he murmured against her lips, blatantly and shamelessly expressing his pleasure.

"I knew you would, Kenji…" she whispered back breathlessly as a small moan spilled free.

Under the vast shadows enveloping the room, the two descended into heated passion to start the next generation of zoanthropes that would surely rule the world, having the bloodline of such powerful parents.

**End Request 5**

**Author's Note:** And here it is! SilverLocke980, this one was for you, my dear friend. I hope you noticed that I tried to cleverly combine both of your requests together, although Kenji's strange quirk was only briefly mentioned, hehe. Man, I got shivers writing this short story due to the rather bleak and hopeless environment and all… No more dark fics for Tiger! Haha, just kidding. If you, my dear readers, enjoyed this story even in spite of the dark content, then I am happy to have written it. It appears that I only have one more request to fulfill, and then my plate will be empty again, so if any of you have requests, now is a great time to start sending them in. Oh, and of course, please leave a review and let me know what you think about this dark alternate future in the AKS realm…

**With love for my fans,**

**Tiger5913**


	6. Determination

12/19/07

Disclaimer: the characters in this fic such as Kenji, Uriko, etc. don't belong to me, though if they did, oh, they sure as hell would be occupied all the time… ---evil grin---

Dedication: God, my parents, my 'brothers', Hudson for creating Bloody Roar I-IV and giving me a really good reason to write this story, and my beloved friends, especially VGuyver, Andrew Glasco, IndigoSiren, Francisco Vampire Warrior, SilverLocke980, Xardion, Musashi Sanada, Silver Noise, TamashiiKitara123, Bakuryu 791, and all the rest of you wonderful readers!!

Special dedication to: all of the fans of my story, Bloody Roar II: A Killer's Seduction; this series of short stories is dedicated to you darling readers.

**AKS Side Stories: Requests**

**By Tiger5913**

**  
Theme: **Determination  
**Requester:** Bakuryu 791**  
Pairing:** Yugo Ohgami x Alice Nonomura**  
Rating:** PG-13  
**Warning:** Mentions of character death and mild violence**  
Summary:** Yugo fought against the ZLF in the memory of his deceased brother, but one day, he received a shocking revelation…

Determination

Chaos reigned around him.

"Yugo, behind you!" came the high-pitched cry of fright that quickly reached his ears.

Reacting immediately, the wolf zoanthrope jutted his elbow backwards, right into the susceptible gut of a foe that had been sneaking up behind him to commit a cowardly attack. He downed his opponent with a confident smirk, and then swept his gaze over the bustling battlefield, checking to see how some of his allies were doing, and if any of them needed help. His eyes went to the blue-haired nurse first, naturally, and he was relieved to see that she was handling herself very well; he knew that she preferred to stay in the background and support the others by taking care of their wounds, but she could fight when necessary. The old lion and his wife were battling side-by-side as always, while his daughter was barreling through a small group of enemies with her beau following closely behind, swiftly and skillfully executing his Kenpo martial arts.

As he glanced over toward several more of his fellow members, Yugo found himself grinning proudly at the strength and unity of his group; the Resistance had been steadily growing in numbers since its birth. Not all of the participants liked to fight, however, and certainly no one would force the peaceful into a violent scenario, and so overall, their number of combatants matched that of a similar amount with the Zoanthrope Liberation Front. After constant nagging and heavy persuasion from his father's old friend, Yugo had reluctantly paused his dream of pursuing a world champion boxing position to become the leader of the Resistance. He didn't like the tedious paperwork or all the rigid formalities, and he honestly thought the diplomatic meetings were an absolute bore, but the hotheaded young man wanted to actively fight because he harbored a personal grudge.

Eight years ago, when he was only seventeen, Yugo had adopted a young, abandoned kid that he came across amongst the burning ruins of the fallen Tylon Corporation. He took care of the boy, Kenji, and over some time, the two brothers developed a strong family bond, as they were alone in the world, both having been orphaned at relatively young ages. The siblings comfortably adjusted to their new lives with little trouble, and for a short while, they were at peace and capable of feeling hopeful toward the future, but then everything changed abruptly. One night, the Ohgami brothers had been ambushed by a group of thugs from the recently-created ZLF, and they successfully subdued Yugo while a slimy, spiky green-haired chameleon zoanthrope kidnapped an unconscious, defenseless Kenji.

Not wanting his younger sibling to suffer more traumatic events in his short life, the brash boxer had dived headfirst into his search for the sardonic green-haired creep that cruelly caused the disruption. He beat down countless lowly henchmen along the way to the top, but when he finally caught up to the ZLF leader and his loser right-hand man, the limp-wristed bastard, he was greeted with a horrific scene. While the wolf zoanthrope was stunned by the sight of the crumpled form burning and disintegrating within a furious, roaring fire, the two adversaries had made their escape into the lurking shadows of the night. Yugo had ripped off his bright orange vest and hurriedly beat at the flames, the similar colors practically blending together right before his eyes, but by the time the persistent blazes died out, it was too late… the body had been indistinguishable, and everything, even including the teeth, was unidentifiable, save a tuff of ashy, dark midnight blue hair…

The young man had been devastated by his brother's brutal murder, and he roamed the streets for several weeks afterward in search of the ruthless killers, only stopping when he finally passed out from pure exhaustion. Alice, his most persistent ally, stubbornly stuck by his side whenever she was not working a shift at the hospital, and she had brought his unconscious form back to his apartment and nursed Yugo to full health with a stern warning not to overexert himself again. It was during his recuperation period that the wolf zoanthrope slowly learned how to cope with Kenji's untimely death, and with help from the patient nurse, he realized that a conquest of revenge was not the best path to pursue. Losing his younger sibling was like a smart slap of reality across his face, and the event gave the brash boxer a strong enough nudge toward the direction of recognizing his growing feelings for the kind rabbit zoanthrope – she became rather important to him.

After the funeral of his deceased brother, Yugo still kept up his boxing career with limited capabilities, but he spent all his free time devoted to just two things: stopping the nefarious plans of the ZLF, and pursuing the blue-haired nurse. He did not just want to pay her back for her patience and assistance when he was down; he had grown quite fond of her smile, and became accustomed to the sound of her voice, even during the times she was nagging or scolding him. There was a short period of dancing around and fumbling about between the two before they officially got together, and the young man had boldly declared that once she gave into him, he was not going to let her go anytime soon. Alice had responded to his exclamation with lighthearted laughter as her ruby red eyes shone in delight at his words, and that was how their relationship began; none of their friends were surprised when they found out, and Jenny seemed especially smug, as if she expected no less.

Together with his devoted girlfriend and a few of their mutual friends, they formed a group to oppose the villainous ZLF, and to devote themselves to the goal of bringing peace between humans and zoanthropes.

In the present, the brown-haired boxer ducked down to avoid a waywardly attempted strike, and he returned the gesture with a powerful uppercut to the crisp, albeit fragile jaw of his unlucky opponent. Once the foe had fallen, he delved right back into the frenzy, intending to help one of his allies that was overwhelmed with the prospect of facing off against several enemies at one time. Using teamwork and supporting each other, the duo quickly cleaned up the mess, and then Yugo quickly moved on to assist the others, his body vibrant with adrenaline in the heat of an exciting battle. Time passed by in a rapid blur, and it was a while before he thought to check on the nurse again; when he turned her way, he was surprised to see the young woman darting toward another area, seemingly following someone.

Concern marred a frown in his brows as the wolf zoanthrope immediately headed toward the same direction, he reached the secluded location just in time to hear Alice crying out, "Uriko!"

He skidded to an abrupt stop next to her, and then focused his gaze forward to identify the source of her distress, and he swore aloud upon realizing why she had called her sister's name.

Standing over on the far side of the clearing was a figure concealed by dark clothing, including a mask to cover up the face, and held between twin covered arms was Uriko's limp, unconscious form.

"Please, don't hurt her!" The nurse began to take a few steps toward the stranger and her younger sibling, but she was suddenly stopped in her tracks when a small sharp object shot through the air and landed mere inches away from her feet.

Greatly displeased with the attempted attack, Yugo frowned deeply and scowled aloud as his eyes sent a glare at the mysterious adversary; he reasoned that the cowardly bastard must have broken into the Nonomura household and somehow overpowered Mitsuko before knocking out and taking her daughter…

"If you come any closer… the next one will be raked across your sister's face," came the lowly-uttered threat a moment later.

The blue-haired woman gasped in shock at the callous words, while the wolf zoanthrope clenched a fist tightly, quickly growing angry with the mystery foe, even as a strange hint of familiarity echoed distractingly within his ears…

"Let her go, you damn bastard!" He exclaimed zealously with a snort of disgust, feeling aggravated that the foe had provoked his kind and compassionate girlfriend when she had just selflessly expressed concern for her little sister.

The figure's black-clothed head immediately snapped toward the direction of the speaker and then a sharp response was elicited, "Silence, Yugo Ohgami. This matter does not concern you."

"Wha…" the brash boxer raised a fist menacingly as he retorted loudly, "Who the hell are you to tell me to shut up?! C'mon, leave that girl alone and fight me like a man! I'll beat your ass into the ground!"

"Hah!" The anonymous enemy scoffed haughtily and declined, "I think not. My master has requested an audience with this girl, and I fully intend to deliver…"

"No-!" Alice shook her head in refusal, discomfort clearly on her expression as her body tightened with tension at the worsening situation.

The wolf zoanthrope quickly followed up with, "You're not going anywhere with her! Put her down right now!"

Without replying, the figure turned around as if to head off, and in that same instant, the nurse immediately sprang toward him, her agile speed and far leaping allowing her to cross the distance in just a few strides. Her hands shot out to grab his arm and prevent the departure, but he flung her off and started to leave again, when seconds later, Yugo caught up with his fists raised and ready to throw punches. Just as he neared, the dark-clothed foe kicked outward and his foot connected with yielding and vulnerable stomach muscle; the boxer wheezed in shock and held his aching abdomen, trying to recover from the winded blow. While he inwardly cursed himself for not being more attentive, his girlfriend started toward their adversary again, and this time she was reaching for her sister, but the captor jerked away at the last minute, and she ended up with a part of his head attire in her grasp.

When he broke free of her frail hold and backed off a good distance, the familiar sight of midnight blue hair immediately snared Yugo's line of sight, and he was stunned for a moment at the startling reminder. "Kenji…?"

A couple of feet beside him, Alice gasped at hearing the name and her ruby red irises turned to focus on the mysterious figure, taking in the matured facial features and the haunting emptiness dwelling within twin amber orbs… _Oh, my… Is that really…?_

He was taller and a little leaner than the wolf zoanthrope remembered him three years ago, but no matter the time that passed, he could recognize his brother anywhere, and he did not doubt for a second that it was Kenji standing right before them at that very moment. _Hell, it __**is**__ Kenji…! He's not dead-!_

Unfazed by their apparent shock, the emotionless ninja took advantage of the brief halt in activity and threw something down upon the ground that caused a short burst of smoke to cloud the small vicinity.

"D-damn…!" The young boxer swore loudly as he coughed and nearly choked on the thick fumes that overshadowed his view, and it took a few minutes for him to be able to see clearly again, to which he immediately sought to locate his erstwhile sibling. "Kenji? Kenji, where did you go-?"

"Uriko's not here either!" Alice exclaimed with anxiety in her voice, "Where… where do you think they went? Oh no, Aunt Mitsuko must have been attacked! I have to see if she's all right! But, my sister…"

His quick search failed to bring any answers, but Yugo turned to the somber nurse with earnest excitement on his expression as he declared in awe, "Ally, he's really alive… did ya see him? I thought those bastards killed my brother, but he's still around! Hell, I gotta go find Kenji and bring him home-!"

"I'm coming with you," she replied softly without hesitation, although there was steel determination in her voice, indicating she would not be dissuaded on the issue; "I have to make sure Aunt Mitsuko isn't hurt… but after that, I need to help my sister…"

The wolf zoanthrope grinned a bit wryly, knowing full well that there was no arguing with his girlfriend once she made up her mind, since she could really be just as stubborn as him sometimes. "Yeah, let's go together then. You know I'll watch out for you, Ally. We'll get 'em both back in no time."

Her smile was diminutive and wavered a bit, but she seemed sweetly and genuinely appreciative of his words as the blue-haired woman gazed at him with fondness in her dark crimson eyes. "Thank you, Yugo. Of course, I'll take care of your wounds if you get hurt…"

"Ha, not gonna happen!" he boasted proudly, sticking his muscular chest out in emphasis, which caused her to chuckle lightly, then he got serious and remarked, "Huh, I guess I'd better tell old Gado what happened before we take off. He'll have to be in charge of things for a while. So I'll meet you back at our place in, say, an hour? That okay with you?"

She nodded in agreement. "I'll be there as soon as I can."

"See you then," he bid his girlfriend farewell, pulling her close to place a quick kiss on her lips and murmuring, "Be careful…" before the couple parted ways.

Despite the unpleasant events that had just taken place, Yugo was greatly elated to find out his brother still lived, even though he had to reluctantly force himself to realize that Kenji wasn't exactly in his right mind at the moment…

_Damn it, like that really matters; what's important is he's alive,_ the young man thought with a wide grin creasing his lips. _Hang on, little bro! We're coming for you guys! Don't hurt Uriko… I'm gonna beat the crap outta that limp-wristed bastard, and then we can all go home._

His brown eyes flickered upward to glance at the dark night sky, and when he caught sight of the full moon peeking out from behind the thick cluster of clouds, he felt his inner bestial instincts stirring to life…

**End Request 6**

**Author's Note:** Another installment has arrived! I gotta be honest, I was stumped with this prompt for a little while before coming up with the above scenario. I really like that you readers are challenging me with these most intriguing prompts, hehehe. Oh, and I'm pleased to announce that I have a couple more requests that popped up recently, but don't let that stop any of you from continuing to ask for a short story of your choice. On AKS news, Chapter 42 is currently in the works, and hopefully I will be able to get it done before the end of the year, although I cannot promise anything at the moment. All right then, I can't wait to hear feedback from you readers, so please leave a review and let me know what you thought about this short story!

**With love for my fans,**

**Tiger5913**


	7. Renewal

1/7/08

Disclaimer: the characters in this fic such as Kenji, Uriko, etc. don't belong to me, though if they did, oh, they sure as hell would be occupied all the time… ---evil grin---

Dedication: God, my parents, my 'brothers', Hudson for creating Bloody Roar I-IV and giving me a really good reason to write this story, and my beloved friends, especially VGuyver, Andrew Glasco, IndigoSiren, Francisco Vampire Warrior, SilverLocke980, Xardion, Musashi Sanada, Silver Noise, TamashiiKitara123, Bakuryu 791, and all the rest of you wonderful readers!!

Special dedication to: all of the fans of my story, Bloody Roar II: A Killer's Seduction; this series of short stories is dedicated to you darling readers.

**AKS Side Stories: Requests**

**By Tiger5913**

**  
Theme: **Renewal  
**Requester:** Bakuryu 791**  
Pairing:** Alan Gado x Jenny Burtory, mentioned Yugo Ohgami x Alice Nonomura**  
Rating:** PG-13  
**Warning:** Mentions of character death**  
Summary:** After their untimely deaths, Alan often visited the graves of an old friend and his son to pay his respects…

Renewal

Despite the strength of the sun, no amount of rays could bring warmth to a place that was devastatingly surrounded by death.

One lone figure stood within the cemetery that afternoon, his cool blue eye reflecting the deep remorse that he felt inwardly as he silently read the name on the headstone many times, over and over. The deceased man that now lied six feet deep into the earth, his life had ended when he was merely twenty-two years old; that was too damn young for someone who had so much potential and a big heart. His adopted brother had only been fourteen at the time of his presumed death, because the callous fiends that killed them paid no heed to the age or the amount of hardships suffered by their undeserving victims. In the present, the blond visitor sighed heavily as he leaned down to lay a single white carnation upon the gravesite, and then he slowly straightened back up with unease on his face accompanying the fresh reminders of loss in his mind.

_My friend's son…_ Alan thought silently to himself with a deep frown marring his expression, _He had the energy and drive to bring peace and cooperation between our human and zoanthrope brothers… Rest assured, Yugo; Mademoiselle Alice and I shall do our best to make sure that the villainous Liberation Front will be stopped before they claim any more innocent lives. Your death won't be in vain… and I will keep searching for young Kenji until I've seen proof of his demise._

He remained in the same location for some time longer before turning to the side and stepping toward the adjacent grave – due to preemptive arrangements, the immediate Ohgami family had been buried next to each other. The lion zoanthrope took a few minutes to pay his respects to the wife of his best friend, whom was like a sister to him, and she had been the first one to pass away when Yugo was younger, in his early teens. And just a few years later, her husband had died as well, albeit with the Tylon Corporation's involvement, and it was there that Alan had met his friend's son again after such a long period of absence. The boy had grown up to be a strapping lad at merely seventeen years of age, already independent and headstrong as he selflessly threw himself into countless dangerous battles to bring justice for his father's death.

He lowered his head in a moment of silence for the missus, and then finally, Alan stood before the grave of his best friend; the two were longtime war buddies, and they had treated each other as if they were brothers. As such, his friend's wife and child were essentially an extended family to him, and Yugo's abrupt departure had been like losing a son, leaving the blond veteran to feel guilty and responsible for allowing the young wolf to be killed. It seemed as though the Ohgami bloodline had also tragically died along with the three, but then, just two weeks ago, the most wondrous news had reached his ears, much to his surprise, like a miracle that had withstood the bleak darkness. The lion zoanthrope had heard from his wife, Jenny, that Alice recently discovered she was pregnant with Yugo's child – they were in a relationship at the time of his death, and she had been most devastated by the loss, but now, a small light of hope lingered within her once-haunted crimson red eyes.

The Ohgami line would indeed live on, as the kind-hearted nurse had decided that the child would have the surname of his or her father, and Alan was quick to assure that he wanted to give her his full support whenever she needed it.

Before even entering the world, the child would be well-loved and cared for.

_Yuji, my old friend…_ he tried to smile in the memory of his dear deceased friend as he silently conveyed his message, but felt merely a slight tug at the corner of his lips, _I can't apologize enough for permitting your son to… have his life taken away by those heartless fiends. I should have protected him more carefully, and I know that I don't deserve your forgiveness. However, I come to you today with great news; your son's woman, Alice, she is with child, and he or she will be born an Ohgami. I'll do everything in my power to protect your grandchild from the first day of birth, and see that he or she has a long and prosperous future. I swear that I will not fail you again, my brother. Rest in peace with your wife and son. Jenny sends her love to you all…_

Trailing off silently, the blond mercenary stayed in the cemetery for so long that at the early sign of dusk, a slim figure sauntered toward him from behind and placed a primly manicured hand upon his shoulder in a comforting gesture.

"Darling, I don't mean to interrupt… but it's getting a bit late," the sultry, melodic voice of his wife informed him in a gentle, understanding tone; she had visited the graves first, and then gave Alan the privacy and time that he needed to be alone with them.

He nodded stiffly in response, truly appreciating her patience in waiting for him, and after mouthing a silent farewell to the resting Ohgami family, he left the vicinity with Jenny, intending to return again very soon.

**End Request 7**

**Author's Note:** And here is the next one! Unfortunately, I start school again today, so I wanted to upload something before I proceed to lose all my free time and return to erratic updates. I will likely be writing in class when I'm bored, hehehe, and I'll certainly try my best to get things done as soon as possible. The next chapter of AKS is high up on my list of priorities, but don't worry, that doesn't mean I'm going to neglect the other requested side stories that I've received. Please be patient with me! Well then, it's time for me to get back to work, so off I go! (Shh! Don't tell!) And as always, my dear readers, please leave a review and let me know what your thoughts on this short story!

**With love for my fans,**

**Tiger5913**


End file.
